Massage Therapy (con't)Lymphatic DrainageThe first thing to say about Lymphatic Drainage Massage is it is impossible to massage without moving Lymph fluid through the tissues. All styles of massage do this to some extent. Having said that, there are several styles of massage that give this process a greater emphasis. In general the massage strokes are slower and involve lots of broad handed squeezing of the muscle tissues. Emphasis is given to squeezing lymph fluid from the extremities to the torso, with extra focus placed on the abdomen and chest where there is a high concentration of lymph nodes. Incidentally, Deborah does a fabulous Lymphatic Drainage massage ... do yourself a favour one day! Relaxation Massage
This is the easiest style to apply in terms of physical effort, yet it requires a particular skill and concentration. It involves lots of long, slow stroking and soothing kneading. Any friction, percussion, pressing or any hard applications would be avoided. The entire approach is with broad hand surface rather than thumbs or fingertips. The emphasis is on soothing the nerves of the skin and gently releasing muscular tension, more as a result of encouragement than through insistence. This is best achieved with a slow and consistent rhythm which has an almost hypnotic effect. It is also extremely useful to spend extra time on the face, forehead and scalp. Ideally the patient should end up falling asleep. Remedial and Therapeutic MassageIf you look up your dictionary you'll find that both these terms are interchangeable; though for some reason, within the professional massage industry, the term Remedial has come to be associated with a greater level of skill. Chronic tension, poor posture and injuries can all leave hard areas of tissue which cause pain, impede the proper function of the nerves, restrict the flow of blood and lymph and inhibit the mobility of the joints. The idea of Remedial or Therapeutic Massage is a more focused, more localised treatment, rather than a general, full body approach. A remedial massage is likely to be more intense or at least more concentrated on a specific area of dysfunction. Naturally, if the therapist is skilful they will take care to thoroughly warm the tissues before applying heavy pressure and will remain sensitive to the pain threshold of the patient. The most frequent application of therapeutic massage is to the back; the major portion of a treatment is often focused there. This is the area where the spinal nerves radiate out from the spinal column to innervate the corresponding internal organs; spasms in the spinal muscles are very often the source of chronic pain throughout the torso and limbs. |
There are many ways of doing this, but if your therapist is just stroking your skin you might be missing out. Personally, I prefer a thorough wringing out of the muscles at a steady pace.